Roof soft top and hard top assemblies are commonly used in two-door and four-door sport-utility vehicles. The soft top and hard top roof assemblies cover the cockpit to protect the occupants of the vehicle from various weather conditions. However, there are occasions where the weather is pleasant, and it is desired by the occupant of the vehicle to move the soft top roof assembly to an open position, or remove one or more hard top roof panels from the vehicle, such that the vehicle essentially functions without part of a roof, and the cockpit driver/passenger compartment of the vehicle is exposed to the atmosphere. This provides an open air feel and allows the occupants of the vehicle to enjoy more favorable weather conditions while driving.
There are times when a vehicle occupant desires to have this open air feel but with a diffusion of wind and sun in the cockpit to reduce wind noise and sun rays. Fabric covers can be added to help diffuse wind and block the sun. Typical fabric covers used to cover the top of the driver/passenger use a series of bungee cord-like fasteners to attach the fabric cover to the sport bars. Additional cords attach the fabric cover to the windshield area, e.g., to a windshield header. One of the disadvantages of typical fabric covers is the headroom due to the fabric is centerline of the sport bar. Another of the disadvantages is the fabric cover leaves gaps along the front, both sides, and the rear of the cover and therefore does not cover the entire area over the driver/passenger compartment well.
Another known cover assembly having a top or cover is provided where one or more installed windshield channel or windshield header features retain or otherwise connect to the front edge area of a fabric cover, and is/are secured to the windshield frame, e.g., the cover assembly and channels utilize securing features such as latches, threaded knobs, screws, straps, etc. By way of example, windshield channel(s) must be installed to the windshield frame, and the cover assembly attached thereto. Typically, the sides of the fabric cover are also connected to the sport bars, and the rearward edge of the cover is also attached, e.g., to sport bar(s) and/or to the rearward of the vehicle. While this cover assembly provides superior coverage essentially of the cockpit compartment compared to the aforementioned problematic fabric cover, there remains a desire to have the ability to fasten the fabric to the windshield area without using a windshield channel or windshield header.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a cover assembly made of a soft and/or mesh fabric material to provide a sun screen or soft top liner that generally covers the top of at least the cockpit area when a soft top assembly or one or more hard top panels of a hard top assembly are in an open air position to reduce wind noise, ultraviolet rays, and debris in the cockpit, while also eliminating the need for a windshield channel or windshield header, latches and knobs.